Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC Advises ESP Associates, Inc. in a Recapitalization with Strength Capital Partners

CHARLOTTE, N.C. July 18, 2018 — Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC (DCF) acted as exclusive financial advisor to Charlotte, NC-based ESP Associates, Inc. (ESP), a leading engineering design and consulting firm, in its recapitalization with Strength Capital Partners, a Detroit-based private equity firm. The transaction closed April 4, 2018.

“More than 30 years after ESP’s founding, we are extremely pleased to partner with Strength Capital to pursue new avenues for accelerated growth—including new service lines, additional offices, and strategic acquisitions—while maintaining the ESP brand and our proud culture of pushing creativity and innovation to achieve the best client outcomes,” said Joe Hendrick, president of ESP Associates, Inc. “Deloitte Corporate Finance provided exceptional support throughout the deal process, providing guidance and advice as we considered all of our strategic options and identified a great partnership for ESP’s future.”

“ESP’s reputation for best-in-class engineering and surveying capabilities, along with its depth of experience in attractive end markets including transportation and public safety, created an attractive match with Strength Capital as a growth platform,” commented Eric Andreozzi, managing director and head of the industrial services group for Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC.

About ESP Associates, Inc.
ESP is a multi-discipline professional services firm providing engineering, surveying and planning services to a variety of public and private clients. The work ESP performs spans a wide variety of end markets including transportation, public safety, land development and energy, and leverages leading technology to deliver innovative services, such as aerial LiDAR for the environmental sector. ESP’s core markets are North and South Carolina. They also perform work in several other states in the Southeast and Midwest. The Company has expanded from five offices in two states in 2012 to thirteen offices in seven states today. The Company has more than 400 employees, including over 80 licensed professionals. Top management at ESP has an average tenure of over 20 years, which is a testament to the Company’s ability to retain top talent. For more information, visit www.espassociates.com.

About Strength Capital Partners
Founded in 2000, Strength Capital Partners is a private equity firm based in Birmingham, MI. They also have offices in Cincinnati, OH and Denver, CO. Strength invests throughout the United States in lower-middle market business with $2M - $20M in EBITDA. They pursue investments in a wide range of industries with a focus on manufacturing, distribution, infrastructure and industrial services. Strength’s core strategy is “Industrial Consolidation” whereby they seek to grow and diversify their platform companies through a combination of strategic acquisitions and organic growth. For more information, visit www.strengthcapital.com.

About Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC
Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC (DCF) provides strategic advisory services and M&A advice to help corporate, entrepreneurial, and private equity clients create and act upon opportunities for liquidity, growth, and long-term advantage. With an in-depth understanding of the marketplace and access to a global network of investment bankers, DCF helps clients confidently pursue strategic transactions in both domestic and global markets. DCF, together with the Corporate Finance Advisory practices within the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited network of member firms, include in excess of 1,900 professionals, who work collaboratively across 150 international locations. With our significant experience providing investment banking services across key industries, DCF offers clients solutions that help them to achieve their strategic objectives.

Prior engagement performance is no guarantee of future performance and may not be representative of the experience of other clients. This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of a security.

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